Irish Times Inside Business

The Fiscal Advisory Council and the Irish Tourist Industry Confederation both launched pre-budget submissions this week. FAC chairman Seamus Coffey urges caution and tells presenter Ciarán Hancock that the body will be watching with interest to see what Leo Varadkar and Paschal Donohoe will do with their first budget.In the second part of the show, Irish Tourist Industry Confederation chief executive Eoghan O’Mara-Walsh explains why the State should spend €60 million each year for a decade on developing new visitor attractions. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On today's podcast, Eoin Burke-Kennedy on the ongoing social housing shortage and Joe Brennan has the details of new Irish property venture, Oaktree, which hopes to list on the Irish stock market.In the second half of the show, Mark Paul and Martin Wall are in studio to talk about WRC hearings relating to working conditions for grooms and exercise riders at Ballydoyle racing yard. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Irish Times journalists discuss the big business stories of the week. This week: Mark Paul on INM's boardroom battle, Barry O'Halloran on Cerberus's moves against debtors in the courts and Sean Quinn's move into online betting, and Fiona Reddan on the massive increase in rents - bad news for tenants, but a big opportunity for homeowners with a spare room. Hosted by Ciaran Hancock. Produced in association with Irish Life. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

"An absolutely magnificent idea", is how economist Jim Power views the prospect of Athlone City. He joins Destination Athlone Chairman John O'Sullivan and Irish Times business journalist Mark Paul to discuss the Westmeath town's push to be designated a regional city under the State’s new spatial plan.In the second part of the show, Cliff Taylor and presenter Ciarán Hancock go through the UK's Brexit border position paper with a fine tooth comb. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

According to a new economic outlook from Goodbody Stockbrokers this week, Ireland’s economy is returning to its “previous peak” with close to full employment and domestic spending back at 2007 levels. So, has Ireland's economy really emerged from a "lost decade"?Irish Times business journalist Fiona Reddan joins presenter Laura Slattery and deputy business editor Dominic Coyle to discuss the report’s findings, while Barry O’Halloran has the details on the departure of Breon Corcoran as CEO of Paddy Power Betfair and what’s to become of the former Irish Central Bank building on Dublin’s Dame Street. In the second part of the show, tech columnist Davin O'Dwyer has the latest on Google’s sexism row, sparked by an employee’s 10-page letter about gender at the company. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

President of the Irish Exporters Association Nicola Byrne explains why Ireland is “way ahead of the posse” in preparing for Brexit.There is still a lot to do, but there is also a “huge amount that can happen in the right direction” for Ireland after Britain leaves the European Union, she tells presenter Cliff Taylor.They are joined by associate research professor at the Economic and Social Research Institute Martina Lawless, who outlines what the worst-case scenario could be when it comes to tariffs and barriers, and why paperwork may be a bigger concern for many Irish exporters post-Brexit.In the second half of the show, Irish Times business journalist Fiona Reddan takes us through some of the ideas being mooted by the department of finance’s tax strategy group, including the prospect of abolishing relief on family homes from capital gains tax when they are sold. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The wheels are starting to come off the German auto industry, with the country’s five biggest car makers facing allegations that they have engaged in cartel-like behaviour for more than a decade. Speaking on the latest podcast, Irish Times Berlin Correspondent Derek Scally says the industry, worth around €400 billion to the German economy annually, is too big to fail, but if the latest allegations are proved to be true then the diesel emissions scandal at Volkswagen will prove to have been just the opening act.In the second part of the show, Laura Slattery has the background on the row over the gender pay gap at the BBC and what the spill-over might be for RTÉ. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We return to the topic of Brexit. Patrick Smyth in Brussels has the latest on negotiations between the EU and UK taking place this week. Joe Brennan tells us about the latest announcements and rumours around banking and insurance moves, while Eoin Burke Kennedy looks at the impact so far on Irish industries. In part two our resident motoring expert Michael McAleer explains the financing method that up to 30% of those buying brand new cars in Ireland are now using. A Personal Finance Plan is a good option for many - but not for all. And more regulation may be needed, says Michael. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We look over the components of Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe's summer statement on the public finances. Is there any need for a rainy day fund at all? What kind of capital investment should be prioritised? Should the 9% VAT rate for tourism go? Cliff Taylor, Jim Power and Joe Brennan join Ciarán Hancock to tackle those questions and more. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

As our absent host Ciaran Hancock pointed out in his column this week, few tears will have been shed among the public at news that motor insurance providers were raided yesterday by the European Commission. But what's really going on behind closed doors in the industry? Joe Brennan and Cliff Taylor explain why lower premiums are unlikely, no matter what the outcome of investigations. Then Eoin Burke-Kennedy has analysis of the latest exchequer figure returns for the first half of the year, and the interminable wait for provision of rural broadband. Today's podcast is hosted by Dominic Coyle. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Sherry Fitzgerald founder Mark FitzGerald is Ciarán Hancock's guest on the Inside Business podcast. He talks about the need for radical thinking to solve the housing crisis, recalls his time in the estate agent business and a few memories of his late father Garret, and shares some tips for first time buyers. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Northern Irish hotelier and managing director of the Hastings chain of hotels, Howard Hastings, was in Dublin this week to announce plans for a £53 million investment in a new hotel in Belfast called the Grand Central, which will be the city's largest once completed. He spoke to Ciaran Hancock about his new hotel and about tourism in Belfast, which he says is "sound" and has not yet been affected on the ground by the lack of an administration at Stormont. They also discussed Brexit and what impact that may have on the Northern Ireland hotel sector, which currently has 20% VAT on room rates, compared to 9% in the Republic.Later in the podcast, Laura Slattery has the latest on RTÉ's €107.5 million euro land sale and what that money may be used for. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Will the UK's hung parliament lead to a softer Brexit? Maybe according to Director General of The British Irish Chamber of Commerce John McGrane. But it would take "somebody of the unique 'backflipability' of a Boris Johnson to come out and say: I've looked into my heart, de Valera-like, and I've read the will of the people and it's for a soft Brexit."He is joined by economist Jim Power to discuss what a softer border with Northern Ireland might look like and what Ireland's new Taoiseach Leo Varadkar should do for the economy.In the second half of the show, Larry Broderick of the Financial Services Union talks to Joe Brennan about the AIB IPO and explains why the bank should establish a profit-share with staff in recognition of their role in getting it back on its feet. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

As Michael Noonan prepares to hang up his boots at the Department of Finance, former Labour TD Pat Rabbitte and IBEC's Danny McCoy join Cliff Taylor and Ciarán Hancock to discuss his legacy.In the second part of the show, Laura Slattery and Davin O'Dwyer are in studio to talk about the announcements made at Apple's conference on Monday, including that Amazon Prime will now be available on Apple TV. They look at what affect, if any, that might have on Netflix. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

With an expected price tag of €3 billion, the AIB flotation green-lighted by the Finance Minister Michael Noonan on Tuesday, will be one of the biggest in Europe in recent years.Does that mean the government will have extra money to spend on much-needed infrastructure once the sale goes through? Not exactly, Cliff Taylor tells the latest Inside Business podcast.Under restrictive EU rules, the government must use the proceeds of the sale to pay down debt. With the Irish market badly exposed to the impending Brexit, the panel discuss whether now is the time to plead our case to our European partners.Later on in the podcast, Mark Paul tells us about the ‘immunity phone’, in the context of a bid rigging case at the Central Criminal Court, and he is joined by Barry O’Halloran for a discussion on Ryanair’s profits and the final divorce settlement in the Mercantile pub row. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In the early 1990's John Fitzpatrick went to New York to run a new hotel owned by his father. Today, Fitzpatrick is now one of New York hospitality's most well known names, and his two hotels are havens for Irish visitors to the city. In the 25 years in between he has seen many ups and downs in the trade, from the post-9/11 downturn to monthly Celtic Tiger-era shopping trips by the wealthy Irish, and the advent of AirBnB.He tells Ciarán Hancock about his quarter century in New York. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Exporters, particularly in the agri-food sector, are already beginning to feel the Brexit pinch, according to Enterprise Ireland. Is enough being done to protect the economy from restricted access to the UK market? Can that damage be offset by growth in the financial services sector? And will we have enough homes to house all the new bankers? To discuss all this we're joined by economist Jim Power, and Joe Brennan and Eoin Burke Kennedy from The Irish Times business team. In part two: controversial UK retailer Sports Direct opened its first major standalone store in Dublin this week. Mark Paul paid a visit and found a tough competitor for established players such as Lifestyle and Elverys.Inside Business is produced in association with Irish Life. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The path has been paved for the government and public sector unions to enter into talks on a new pay deal for the country’s 300,000 State employees, following the publication of the report of the Public Sector Pay Commission yesterday.On the latest Inside Business podcast, Industry Correspondent Martin Wall joins Director of Research at Savills Ireland, John McCartney, to discuss what will be the flash-points when that time comes.Also in this episode, the Government has backed off plans to force owners of PCs, laptops and tablets to pay the TV licence fee. Laura Slattery has the background on this and on Virgin Media Ireland’s insistence that it will not pay for access to RTÉ channels.In the second half of the show, as the FAI continues its investigation into the betting allegations engulfing League of Ireland side Athlone Town, Irish Times football correspondent Emmett Malone has the latest in this extraordinary story. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Trenchant ground is being staked out in Brussels and in London, as Brexit posturing continues before any real talks get underway.In this episode, Laura Slattery steps in for Ciarán Hancock to lead the team in a look at this and some of the other big stories of the week.It was a good day for the exchequer today, as the Central Bank’s annual report recorded a profit of 2.3bn euro for 2016. Eoin Burke-Kennedy reports on the main findings. The deadline for PAYE workers to declare tax on their offshore assets is 5.30pm, Thursday, May 4th. Deputy Business Editor Dominic Coyle explains why those missing the deadline are not likely to meet with any sympathy from the Revenue Commissioners.And, Markets Correspondent Joe Brennan casts the net stateside, where trouble is brewing between George Soros’s Quantum Partners fund and the board of Kennedy Wilson Europe. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

What role if any will traditional bricks and mortar banks play in the future dominated by disruptive technology like AI, robotics and social media? For the first ever Inside Business episode recorded in front of a live audience, we asked three of Ireland's top experts to predict the future of the industry.The panel: David Duffy, chief executive of CYBG (Clydesdale and Yorkshire Bank) in the UK and a former AIB CEO, Gavin Kelly, director of distribution channels with Bank of Ireland, and Mairead Jackson, managing director of Accenture. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.